'Because the baby asks for it': a mixed-methods study on local perceptions toward nutrition during pregnancy among marginalised migrant women along the Myanmar-Thailand border
'Because the baby asks for it': a mixed-methods study on local perceptions toward nutrition during pregnancy among marginalised migrant women along the Myanmar-Thailand border
Background: under- and over-nutrition during pregnancy are known risk factors for pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes. Understanding perceptions around nutrition in pregnancy can create culturally appropriate interventions for improved health outcomes.
Objective: a mixed-methods study was performed to explore local perceptions and practices of diet and physical activity in pregnancy in a marginalised population along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
Methods: from April to July 2017, a cross-sectional survey and focus group discussions were conducted with pregnant women reporting to antenatal care; in-depth interviews were conducted with senior midwives at participating organisations along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
Results: a total of 388 pregnant women were interviewed at two clinic sites along the Myanmar-Thailand border. A high proportion of women had limited knowledge of and poor dietary practices. Consuming a sweetened drink in the last 24 hours as well as being a non-teenage, multigravida woman was significantly associated with high body mass index (BMI) compared to normal BMI. Qualitative analysis combined focus group discussions (n = 66) and in-depth interviews (n = 4) summarising emergent themes: common foods eaten or avoided and rationale; benefits of nutrition; perceptions of overweight and weight gain during pregnancy; barriers to a healthy diet; and sources of diet information.
Conclusions: there is limited awareness about healthy diets and lifestyle in these marginalised, migrant communities along the Myanmar-Thailand border. This study suggests that simple, culturally appropriate messaging should be provided to women and communities with low health literacy to generate awareness about healthy lifestyles and their effects on pregnancy outcomes as an important element of a broader strategy to address maternal nutrition in this population. However, more studies to determine the effectiveness of a broad range of interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are needed, especially in marginalised migrant populations.
Adult, Body Mass Index, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Focus Groups, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Health Literacy, Humans, Middle Aged, Myanmar, Nutritional Status, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications/etiology, Thailand/epidemiology, Transients and Migrants, Young Adult
Hashmi, Ahmar H.
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Paw, Moo Kho
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Nosten, Suphak
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Darakamon, Mu Chae
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Gilder, Mary Ellen
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Charunwatthana, Prakaykaew
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Carrara, Verena I.
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Wickramasinghe, Kremlin
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Angkurawaranon, Chaisiri
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Plugge, Emma
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McGready, Rose
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Hashmi, Ahmar H.
41a3b456-0cb9-4ae8-85d7-50318ad00a71
Paw, Moo Kho
0d074db7-e89b-427b-9e1f-44b76f308016
Nosten, Suphak
24e88f10-268e-478f-917c-151ebce920ad
Darakamon, Mu Chae
3613c898-9174-49ca-957f-b9af03a5c47e
Gilder, Mary Ellen
38b9f045-e968-4ffc-b89d-d4665b28fb12
Charunwatthana, Prakaykaew
a2c22c2c-b4d9-4e83-bfb0-edd3dfd553f2
Carrara, Verena I.
300df77a-cb99-4ee6-962a-5fe0eb3929cd
Wickramasinghe, Kremlin
f7da1498-705c-4f57-b59e-6cccba08f535
Angkurawaranon, Chaisiri
575a4b4e-1557-414a-a31c-976a20d20f00
Plugge, Emma
b64d2086-6cf2-4fae-98bf-6aafa3115b35
McGready, Rose
901b40d0-a81c-4d92-bebf-7573eb8df859
Hashmi, Ahmar H., Paw, Moo Kho, Nosten, Suphak, Darakamon, Mu Chae, Gilder, Mary Ellen, Charunwatthana, Prakaykaew, Carrara, Verena I., Wickramasinghe, Kremlin, Angkurawaranon, Chaisiri, Plugge, Emma and McGready, Rose
(2018)
'Because the baby asks for it': a mixed-methods study on local perceptions toward nutrition during pregnancy among marginalised migrant women along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
Global Health Action, 11 (1), [1473104].
(doi:10.1080/16549716.2018.1473104).
Abstract
Background: under- and over-nutrition during pregnancy are known risk factors for pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes. Understanding perceptions around nutrition in pregnancy can create culturally appropriate interventions for improved health outcomes.
Objective: a mixed-methods study was performed to explore local perceptions and practices of diet and physical activity in pregnancy in a marginalised population along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
Methods: from April to July 2017, a cross-sectional survey and focus group discussions were conducted with pregnant women reporting to antenatal care; in-depth interviews were conducted with senior midwives at participating organisations along the Myanmar-Thailand border.
Results: a total of 388 pregnant women were interviewed at two clinic sites along the Myanmar-Thailand border. A high proportion of women had limited knowledge of and poor dietary practices. Consuming a sweetened drink in the last 24 hours as well as being a non-teenage, multigravida woman was significantly associated with high body mass index (BMI) compared to normal BMI. Qualitative analysis combined focus group discussions (n = 66) and in-depth interviews (n = 4) summarising emergent themes: common foods eaten or avoided and rationale; benefits of nutrition; perceptions of overweight and weight gain during pregnancy; barriers to a healthy diet; and sources of diet information.
Conclusions: there is limited awareness about healthy diets and lifestyle in these marginalised, migrant communities along the Myanmar-Thailand border. This study suggests that simple, culturally appropriate messaging should be provided to women and communities with low health literacy to generate awareness about healthy lifestyles and their effects on pregnancy outcomes as an important element of a broader strategy to address maternal nutrition in this population. However, more studies to determine the effectiveness of a broad range of interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are needed, especially in marginalised migrant populations.
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Because the baby asks for it a mixed-methods study on local perceptions toward nutrition during pregnancy among marginalised migrant women along th
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Accepted/In Press date: 1 May 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 22 May 2018
Keywords:
Adult, Body Mass Index, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Focus Groups, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Health Literacy, Humans, Middle Aged, Myanmar, Nutritional Status, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications/etiology, Thailand/epidemiology, Transients and Migrants, Young Adult
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Local EPrints ID: 485252
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/485252
ISSN: 1654-9716
PURE UUID: 8288b9cf-c061-4bd5-aaaa-85ba442cd235
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Date deposited: 01 Dec 2023 17:49
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:57
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Contributors
Author:
Ahmar H. Hashmi
Author:
Moo Kho Paw
Author:
Suphak Nosten
Author:
Mu Chae Darakamon
Author:
Mary Ellen Gilder
Author:
Prakaykaew Charunwatthana
Author:
Verena I. Carrara
Author:
Kremlin Wickramasinghe
Author:
Chaisiri Angkurawaranon
Author:
Rose McGready
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